I got what will be the next-to-last issue of Memory Makers Magazine in the mail today, the July/August 2009 issue. A look through it is telling about the reason F+W Media pulled the plug on it – and also makes me really sad that the magazine is going.
A survey of the advertising in it shows that their advertising situation was little improved over previous issues – only 18% of the pages were paid advertising. They’d been hovering around 15% the past few issues, a long way from the 40% most of the publications need to be healthy. Addicted to Scrapbooking had bought four pages, a large advertising buy even for them, suggesting they’d been offered a discount to fill space. There just didn’t seem to be much upward trending in the magazine’s advertising sales, unfortunately, as has been the case for so many publications in so many industries recently.
What struck me the most, however, is the amazing quality of this issue, especially given that the editorial staff probably had to fill about 10 more pages than they would have if the magazine were financially healthy. The content is stellar and never feels like “filler” or “padding”.
This magazine had been steadily improving since it’s revamp in 2006. It has really achieved excellence with its last few issues. Unfortunately, it was too little too late for a publication competing in such a challenging and shifting marketplace. It’s sad to see it go just when it really seems to have hit its stride.
About Nancy Nally
I’m sad too. MM will always hold a special place in my heart since I started scrapbooking with the 1st issue !
Unfortunately I had to cancel all of my subscriptions a couple of years ago because of the lame new direction SB mags had taken.
As always it’s sad to see one of the “big guns” of the industry go. You could say it’s a “sign of the times” but unfortunately is stopped being a must read for me awhile ago. At least they will go out with quality issues!
I think the magazine was rather skimpy, it is half the size of when I started my subscription (which runs till next summer) and they were still advertizing their MMM contest, think off the women putting their time into the projects for the contest and paying the $10 entry fee to find out the mag is no more. lame.
Sorry to see this one go, as they really seemed to be improving again. I had dropped my sub to it years ago, since they didn’t seem to be keeping up with trends. Then, I got really tired of seeing one-picture LOs, doodly cr** on every submission, etc. at that other mag, & switched back. I had really been enjoying it again lately. So many advertisers are moving to internet ads, where there money seems to be better spent. I’m just not that surprised by the number of mags going under.